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Guyatone MM-X Metal Monster
List: $295
Intense distortion purveyors have this ultimate quest- to acquire a unit with drive saturation that best manifest their distortion philosophy; intensity. There are countless metal-type distortions in the market that offer that extra drive to qualify as such but that is often not coupled with frequency pleasantries. We often hear a wedged voicing upon raising the pedal’s level/ volume; the despondent units even come with ill-definition. One way of overcoming this setback is to incorporate a pre-amp tube in the pedal’s circuitry as in the case of Guyatone’s MM-X here, perhaps defining the ‘monster’ in its moniker.
The Metal Monster is just one of the FLIP series (others: Vintage Tremolo/ Tube Echo/ Tube Drive Reverb) Guyatone pedals which all include a vacuum tube whose sockets are isolated from the PC board for low-noise performances.
Construction/ Features
Unlike other pedals which adhere to the industry’s standard of featuring moveable housing components which also act as footswitches in part, the MM-X sports a bent steel frame. You might deem this excessively vigourous but the potent exterior has a crucial vocation; it cages the solitary fragile 12AX7WA tube on board. A suitable ventilation ‘grille’ is included at the roof of the tube residence for breathable moments. Moveable components here are simply the manufacturer’s trademark silent footswitch & 6 control knobs which are acceptably smooth in use.
The MM-X is unmistakably rigid by design, the tube’s physical preservation is guaranteed.
Rating: 95%
In use
As the MM-X is a 12V unit, a PSU employment is obligatory especially so when no battery compartment is featured, hence, the manufacturer has included one in the package. You’d expect some background humming but the MM-X, together with its PSU, is one quiet set up.
The forte of this MM-X is definitely its distortion response; as one dials up a higher setting (with other controls set to noon position) one would revel in the increased saturation with all the frequency definitions in tact. It also retains your pickups’ character effectively so you enjoy your guitar’s nuances without the pedal’s excessive remodeling.
The overall drive voicing benefits tremendously from a pre-amp tube incorporation. Imagine a cascading drive format with tube warmth concoction. The midrange response is organic & warm, nothing too shrill in relation to a solid-state take in this frequency range. Do note that the 3-band EQ section here features a stacked midrange control which functions exactly as the BOSS Metal Zone counterpart; set the inner control to noon & the outer control is maimed. The tonal difference here also benefits from the midrange’s parametric nature. As such, this frequency’s isolation is more acute & the sweep is believeably wide.
Without doubt, the MM-X would adequately appease the bottom end detuners (set the midrange to further rumble your bass end or add tasteful lower midrange prick to avoid mud), articulate shredders, apocalyptic black metallers… you get the picture. In a situation where extremities are the order of the day, the MM-X will oblige.
Tone test equipment:
• Amp: Ibanez ValBee/ Crate Power Block
• Guitars: ESP Eclipse II/ Edwards E-LP-85SD/P/ Ibanez RGA121/ Ibanez RG7620/ Ibanez S540/ Fender Highway1 Strat/ Gibson LP Std/ Music Man SUB1/ BC Rich Mockingbird Space Face
Rating: 97%
Conclusion
The MM-X is an amazing intense distortion unit, one which readily challenges others in terms of distortion intensity & tonal delight. However, it is quite estranged to the milder, blues-crunch settings & understandably so because it wasn’t conceived to be one. The tube here adds value to tone simply because it makes its presence heard. If you happen to audition this pedal, be sure to test it next to a non-tube unit to hear why countless players out there value a tube-driven tone, not that it’s an end-all response to anybody’s tone pursuit (yes, there are solid state units out there which are appealing in their own right).
Nevertheless, the manufacturer could have done better to include larger control labels because the shiny chassis renders them invisible quite easily.
Overall rating: 95%
Likes:
• Tone/ clarity
• Effective EQ section
• Distortion saturation
Dislikes:
• Control labels too small
• Price
PS: Thanks to all @ Ebenex in the acquisition of the incredible MM-X (my personal fav pedal).
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